Jealousy old
by silverknight426
Summary: Revised version is up!
1. Conception of a Plan

Hi everyone! This is my second fic entitled Jealousy! I wanted to take a little break from my other fic, As Simple as that so I decided to start a new one. Don't worry 'cuz I plan to continue both fics! Hope you enjoy this one!

Summary: Hikari can't seem to get the guy of her dreams, similar to Takeru's predicament. They decide to team up to get the person of their dreams but will this partnership open their eyes to something new?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon! (You already knew that anyway...)

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Chapter 1: Conception of a Plan

"That's it! I've had enough!" exclaimed Hikari as Takeru sat down beside her, tray in hand. It was lunch break and the two best friends were in the cafeteria.

"Had enough of what?" asked Takeru, picking of his fork and poking the meat on his tray. He was making sure it wasn't alive or anything.

"Ken! He's enough to drive a girl crazy!"

"What, Mr. popular still doesn't know you're in love with him?" asked Takeru as he finally got a piece of the presumably nontoxic meat and stuck it into his mouth.

"I've tried everything! Flirting, _**very**_ obvious hints, love notes and all! It's either he's extremely dense or he's blind! I wouldn't count on the latter, though"

"I know how you feel. It's the same with me and Yolei… I've practically taken her to every romantic spot in Odaiba and yet she still is oblivious to the fact I like her as more than a friend", said Takeru in a very exhausted and defeated voice.

"What, you two lovesick puppies still haven't got your dream guy or girl?" asked Daisuke as he appeared, holding the tray that had the same food Takeru chose. Both just sighed. They were still puzzled at the fact that Daisuke was able to land himself a special someone before either of the two had.

"How do you do it? Both I and Hikari have practically tried everything and nothing still seems to work", said Takeru.

"Dunno really. It just happened. I met her, with started out as friends then pretty soon we were an item", said Daisuke.

Hikari just sat silently, trying to decide if she would follow suite and eat the food served by the cafeteria. It wasn't all bad actually, today's meat was much more decent looking than yesterday's was but she still couldn't shrug the feeling that it had something in it, something…_**deadly**_.

"You'd better eat that. Lunch is about to end and you wouldn't want to pass out in Gym later", advised Takeru. Hikari sighed and ate the food. Daisuke and Takeru started talking about sports and other stuff while Hikari ate her lunch.

"Hey Hikari, doing anything later?" asked Takeru casually. Daisuke suddenly smirked.

"What, given up on Yolei and now you're hitting on Hikari?" he asked teasingly. Takeru ignored him and looked at Hikari, waiting for an answer.

"No, not really. Why?"

"How 'bout we meet at my place and try to come up with a plan to get ourselves Yolei and Ken?"

Hikari thought for a moment. She had tried everything to get Ken and yet every attempt seemed to have failed. But if she had a little help maybe, just maybe, she'd succeed and get Ken once and for all. Plus, Takeru might get Yolei to finally go out with him.

"Sure, why not? Maybe if we work together we might actually get the two", said Hikari brightly. Takeru smiled.

"Okay. No problem in meeting, I guess. We have the same last period so after we get changed, we'll head to my place", said Takeru. Hikari nodded.

"Good luck with whatever plan you're going to come up with. You'll need it", said Daisuke cheerfully. "We'd better go, time's almost up", he added, pointing to the wall clock in the cafeteria. They hurriedly ate their lunch, deposited the trays and plates and rushed to their next respective classes.

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"I'll beat you this time, Takaishi!" exclaimed Daisuke as he ran to Takeru. It was already last period and the class was playing one on one basketball. Takeru Takaishi, ace _**basketball**_ player of the school varsity team, was pitted against Daisuke Motomiya, ace _**soccer**_ player of the school varsity team. The odds were against him.

"In your dreams, Daisuke", replied Takeru as he dashed past him and headed for the ring. Daisuke increased speed, chasing the basketball god known as Takeru. He was able to catch up to Takeru, his hands reaching for the ball. Unfortunately, Takeru saw this so he faked left then turned right, leaving Daisuke standing dumbfounded. After he realized what was happening, he dashed to Takeru but was too late. He had positioned himself within the three-point lane and decided to shoot. With utmost ease, in went through the hoop and their teacher blew the whistle. He had won and the people watching cheered for Takeru.

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"I'll get you next time, Takaishi!" shouted Daisuke as he waved goodbye to both Takeru and Hikari. They did the same.

"He knows perfectly he can't beat you at basketball", said Hikari. This earned a smile from Takeru.

"Yeah, but he's like Taichi. He never gives up", said Takeru. Hikari giggled slightly.

"He gave up trying to make me his girlfriend", she said, trying to prove her point. Takeru knew she'd bring that up.

"Yeah, but after how many years?" he asked as he looked at Hikari. She started to think. When was the last time he had tried to get Hikari? It started when they were 11 and continued 'till around 16 or so.

"5 years, I think…" she replied as both laughed. They proceeded to the Takaishi apartment. He unlocked the door and the proceeded inside.

"Mom?" he called out. There was no response. He assumed his mom was still at work. That is, until he found the note placed on the table. He picked it up and read it.

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_Dear Takeru,_

_I'll be going to a business trip to France so you'll be alone for a week. I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you sooner since this came up all of a sudden. Anyway, I asked Yamato and your dad to come visit you from time to time. Even though I'm sure you won't need supervision, I asked them so you wouldn't be lonely._

_Btw. I left some money in my room. It's in the second drawer of the cabinet._

_Love,_

_Mom _♥

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"Guess we'll be alone today", said Takeru as he placed the note back on the table. "Mom's going on a business trip to France. She won't be back for a week so we'll have the whole week to plan our attack"

"Attack? Isn't that a bit too brutal?" asked Hikari. Takeru just smirked.

"No, it's probably an understatement. After we're done, they won't know what hit them!" said Takeru scarily as he made a demented expression. Hikari just raised an eyebrow.

"So, what's the plan?" Takeru's facial expression faltered and a frown appeared.

"I haven't gotten that far yet…" Hikari giggled. "Guess you aren't that different from Tai and Daisuke". He sighed. She did have a point there.

"Anyway, would you like anything to drink?" asked Takeru as he gestured Hikari to sit down. She shook her head. He sat down beside her and they started to formulate a plan/

"How about we tie them up…" started Takeru. Hikari smacked him for suggesting such a thing, even if he wasn't finished.

"Who are you and what did you do to my best friend?" asked Hikari.

"Sorry, guess I got a little carried away with that…"

"A little? You wanted to tie them up! I don't even wanna know what you plan to do afterwards"

"Okay, so maybe I went too much but I did like the plan when I thought of it", said Takeru, smiling mischievously. Hikari sighed.

"Don't even think about it! We want to make them fall for us not scare them half to death"

Minutes turned to hours as the two sat at the couch, thinking of plans from love potions to forcefully kissing them until they realize they were in love. Most of the radical ideas came from Takeru who was thinking like Daisuke for a while. Hikari did give her fair share of radical ideas, such as the "forced love" plan. They started at 4 in the afternoon but both were surprised to see that it was almost nine o'clock.

"It's getting late. I need to go home now or Tai is gonna kill me", said Hikari.

"How about I walk you home?" suggested Takeru, standing up from the couch.

"Don't worry, it's alright. I can manage. I am, after all, the bearer of light so I should be able to do fine in the dark", said Hikari proudly. Takeru couldn't help but smile.

"Point taken but I still insist on walking you home. Taichi's not going to be happy when he finds out his little sister is walking the streets of Odaiba alone at night. And I surely don't want to listen to Taichi's long sermon on how a friend should ensure the safety of his best friend", said Takeru. Hikari sighed in defeat. Time was flying and if she didn't leave now, she'll suffer Taichi's wrath.

"Fine, let's go"

They started to walk the dark streets of Odaiba. The light provided by the street lamps was lacking since they were barely able to distinguish the stop sign that Takeru almost collided with. They made their way to the Yagami apartment in silence. Takeru thought it was going to be an uneventful walk until he heard someone shouting.

"I can't believe you! How dare you choose her over me like that! Don't you know I love you!" shouted a young girl. She was about the same age as Hikari and Takeru. She was crying from what the two could make out.

"I'm sorry Nodoka! It was just that I thought you liked Ryuu better…" said the man. Apparently the girl was named Nodoka.

"What… But Takeo, I thought you liked Sakura… " said the girl named Nodoka. From what they could see, the two made up and started to hug. It was just a simple misunderstanding that led to that whole fiasco.

"Isn't that sweet…" whispered Hikari cheerfully. Takeru took her hand and motioned them to move along. They left the two so they could be alone. As they were walking, Takeru stopped as an idea suddenly materialized into his head

"_I can't believe it was that simple! I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner!"_ Hikari didn't notice Takeru stop so she continued forward.

"I wish my life was that… " started Hikari. She found herself walking alone, Takeru was gone.

"Where is he…? Takeru!" shouted Hikari. Takeru heard Hikari shout so he made his way towards her. She didn't bother holding back his glee as he immediately hugged Hikari and lifted her a few centimeters off the ground, spinning her cheerfully. He was laughing and saying something that sounded "I got it!"

Hikari blushed at the closeness the two were exhibiting. They would've been mistaken for a couple if anyone was around. Lucky there weren't any bystanders.

"Put me down and tell me what happened!" said Hikari, slightly confused. Takeru placed her firmly on the ground and told her what he came up with.

"It gave me an idea! Remember what the girl said about the guy choosing the other girl?"

"Yeah, What about it?" replied Hikari.

"Don't you get it? She was _**jealous**_ of the other girl! That's what led her to confess her feelings toward the guy!"

"Oh, I see! So you're thinking about making Yolei and Ken jealous so they'll admit their true feelings for us? If any, that is…" sand Hikari. Takeru nodded and smiled.

"How? I mean for them to be jealous then we'd have to flirt with some other guy/girl but who'd agree to that?" Takeru suddenly smiled mischievously at Hikari. She was surprised at Takeru's idea.

"You can't be serious! Do you expect them to believe we're a couple!? I mean it's not impossible but it's beyond truth! Nobody would believe that I was your girlfriend and you were my boyfriend!" responded Hikari.

"How can you say that? I mean we're practically closer than most relationships! We're best friends yet people sometimes think we're a couple!" said Takeru. Hikari opened her mouth to retaliate but could not think of a comeback.

"See! Even you can't deny the fact that people say we're a couple! C'mon Hikari, it'll only be pretend… I mean we have nothing to lose and everything to gain", said Takeru. After a few seconds of silence, Takeru felt awkward. He suddenly felt guilty about forcing Hikari to something she didn't want. Her silence told him she wasn't ready.

"I'm… I'm sorry Hikari. I guess I was being a little too forceful. It's alright if you don't like the plan. We'll just meet again after school and think of a new one. I'm sorry for forcing you like that…" said Takeru guiltily. He stared at the cemented sidewalk for a while. He lifted his face when Hikari began to speak.

"Yeah, you were being a little too pushy", said Hikari teasingly. Takeru smiled a little.

"When do we start?" she asked. Takeru's eyes brightened and he immediately hugged Hikari.

"Whoa, easy. It's only pretend. We're not actually a couple", said Hikari. She did feel a tinge of disappointment when Takeru let go but she shrugged it off.

"Sorry, got carried away…" apologized Takeru. He felt he was turning a slight shade of pink.

_"What's with this feeling? First time I ever got it… Nah, it's probably nothing…" _thought Takeru.

"We'll start first thing tomorrow! I'll pick you up at your place so it looks convincing. I'll also tell you the rest of the plan tomorrow, Kari-chan", he said. He blushed a little at the last part.

"Kari-chan?" she asked, smiling slightly.

"Hey, it does make it a lot more convincing if we called each other with special pet names…" said Takeru. Lucky for him it was quiet otherwise he'd have to repeat that as he said it very quietly.

"Hmm… Then I get to call you Keru-chan!" she said brightly. She didn't know why but she was feeling a little happy that they were able to call each other pet names.

"Let's go", said Takeru as he offered his hand to Hikari. She gladly accepted and they made their way to the Yagami apartment, holding hands.

_"This'll be a long week…" _thought the two as they made their way to Hikari's place where they were both sure Taichi was about to kill him for waiting 'till 9:30 in the night to bring Hikari home.

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Okay, so this is the end of Chapter 1! Please tell me what you think so I can improve on the parts that seem lacking! And so I know if you want me to continue or not! Please Read & Review! 


	2. Phase 1 Harmless Flirting

Hi everyone! Sorry about the late update - I had a lot on my mind and had a little case of writer's block! Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed the story! Sorry again for the late update and here's chapter 2! Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon! (I wish I did though...)**

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Chapter 2: Phase 1 - Harmless Flirting**

"Hey Taichi, is Kari-chan ready yet?" asked Takeru from outside the Yagami apartment. Taichi was just standing by the door way, surprised at the sudden appearance of the blond boy and his use of a pet name for his sister.

"Oh! Hey Keru-chan! C'mon, wait for me in the living room; I'll just prepare my things", said Hikari from behind her brother. She motioned Takeru to wait inside. Takeru went passed Taichi who was still standing by the door way. Was he missing something?

"Kari-chan? Keru-chan? What am I missing here?" asked Taichi as he finally budged from his spot after a few seconds. They didn't reply instantly. They were still thinking if they should tell him or not. Moments passed and Taichi became irritated by the silence that had fallen. Finally, before he snapped, Hikari spoke up.

"Well, how should I phrase this…?" she started. "Keru-chan and I are…"

"…a couple", finished Takeru nervously. This left Taichi's mouth hanging wide open. He wasn't sure if he should be happy for the two or hit Takeru on the head. He finally decided to do what a loving older brother should do.

"I'm happy for you guys!" said Taichi cheerfully. He gave Hikari a hug which she returned and patted Takeru on the back as an act of congratulations.

"But I was just wondering… Didn't Takeru like Yolei and you liked Ken?" asked Taichi.

"That's ancient history!" exclaimed Hikari. "Stop living in the past and stick to the present!"

"I guess you're right. Anyway, you'd better hurry up, you don't want to be late", said Taichi as he made his way out the door. Before he left, he suddenly turned around and faced Takeru. His expression had turned dead serious. "Before I go… Takeru, promise me you'll take care of Hikari like when you did way back…"

"Don't worry Taichi, I'll do my best", said Takeru. He was slightly nervous.

"Good… because if I ever find out that you hurt Hikari in any way, I will wipe you off the face of this universe", said Taichi threateningly. Takeru nodded. He couldn't speak at the moment. Taichi then reverted back to his joyful self, waved goodbye and left. Takeru let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"C'mon, let's go" said Hikari cheerfully. She was unaware of the conversation so she was wondering why Takeru had a look of shock and terror on his face.

"What's the matter, Keru-chan?" asked Hikari in a concerned tone. Takeru just laughed nervously.

"A scary encounter with your brother", he said. Hikari giggled.

"Don't tell me you actually believe Taichi will maul you?" she asked still giggling. Takeru raised an eyebrow.

"Taichi trusts you. He knows I'm in good hands. Either way, he'd have to go through me to get to you", she said brightly. He couldn't help but smile.

"Either your acting is extremely good or you actually like the idea of us being together", said Takeru jokingly. Hikari punched him playfully.

"Yeah, you wish! You're actually lucky to at least have me as your girlfriend even if it was pretend", said Hikari proudly. Takeru smiled.

"Well, may I have the pleasure of holding your hand as we walk to school?" asked Takeru as he bowed, as if addressing the queen.

"Yes you may", said Hikari as she offered her hand to him. They cheerfully walked to school, hand in hand.

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"Wow, so you decided to quit on Ken and Yolei?" asked Daisuke as he saw the two.

"Not exactly… This is our plan. We'll try to make the two jealous so that they'll go crazy and finally go out with us", said Takeru. Daisuke raised his eyebrow.

"Won't they get the idea and just quit? I mean, you're together and friends prefer their friend's happiness over their own", said Daisuke matter-of-factly.

"You have a point there…" said Hikari. "Back to the drawing board…"

"No, we only need to adjust it a little. We just do this as planned but we don't pretend to be a couple", said Takeru. Hikari nodded.

"Well, if you say so. But I must warn you, be careful. You never know what may happen. As stated in Murphy's Law, anything that can go wrong will go wrong"

"We'll consider your warning, Daisuke", said Takeru reassuringly.

"Well, good luck. I think you're gonna need it", said Daisuke. Both Hikari and Takeru raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" asked Takeru.

"Ken has been seen after class with a cheerleader, I forgot her name. Yolei, on the other hand, has been flirting with a number of guys from the soccer team. Majority are now chasing after her", said Daisuke. "Excluding me, of course", he added after seeing Takeru's questioning look.

Before they could do anymore talking, their teacher came in and started the lesson at once. After numerous subjects later, they came out for their break. It was time to initiate Phase one of their plan. They immediately went to the cafeteria. They got their food and proceeded to the table where the digidestined always meet for lunch. At the table were Daisuke and Iori, waiting for the other four. Takeru and Hikari soon followed and sat down next to each other.

"Where are Ken and Yolei?" asked Hikari.

"They're coming. Must still be choosing food or something…" said Daisuke as he ate the food on his plate. As if on cue, the two appeared and sat down.

"So, how do we start?" whispered Hikari. Takeru whispered to her the plan. The others were curious what the two were whispering about.

"What's with the whispering?" asked Yolei, noticing the two and becoming curious.

"Oh, nothing!" replied Takeru. Yolei raised an eyebrow. When they didn't respond, she shrugged the idea and began eating her food. After a few seconds, Takeru took his fork and got a piece of food on his plate. Making sure both Yolei and Ken will be able to notice, he playfully fed Hikari the food on his fork.

"Thanks", said Hikari cheerfully. They did that for a while, as they giggled and smiled. This caught the attention of the others and Yolei decided to say something.

"Okay, so would you like us to find another table or will you tell me when this all happened?" she asked.

"About what?" asked Takeru innocently

"Very funny", she said sarcastically. "So, what's with the two of you? Finally decided to get together?" asked Yolei excitedly. Takeru noted that there wasn't a hint of Jealousy seen from Yolei. It was either she was a really good actress or she wasn't really jealous.

Before the two were able to answer, the bell rang. Everyone started to vacate the area and started to proceed to their classes.

"Let's go!" she immediately said as she pulled Takeru outside the cafeteria. This earned suspicious looks from the other digidestined, except Daisuke who knew perfectly well what they were doing. He sighed, however, seeing that it was going terribly for the two.

"This isn't working! Yolei is obviously not jealous" said Hikari. Takeru just sighed. "Though I don't know about Ken…"

"Yeah, he wasn't really talking much. Maybe he actually feels a little jealous", said Takeru. "But Yolei isn't…"

"Anyway, Math is our next period, right?" asked Takeru. Hikari nodded.

"Mr. Tsukishiro is out today and we'll have a substitute. It'll probably be free time so here's what we do…" said Takeru. He whispered something to Hikari. She giggled and nodded with the plan.

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As Takeru had anticipated, their substitute teacher declared free time for the class. He sat at his desk and started checking papers. Hikari and Takeru started the next portion of their plan.

"Okay, let's do this", said Hikari as she moved closer to Takeru. They sat at the back, clearly beside Ken and Yolei who were engaged in an animated conversation. The two started talking. They tried to convince the two that they were having more than a friendly conversation. From time to time, they glanced at the two. They seemed too absorbed in the conversation they had to even notice. Their plan had backfired since the only ones feeling jealous were Hikari and Takeru. They were also frustrated that their plan had failed once again.

"Failed again…" said Takeru. Hikari nodded and averted her gaze from the two and stared outside. She saw a particularly beautiful butterfly fly past. She had her red ruby eyes focused on the insect. Takeru looked at Hikari. He found himself staring at her.

_"I never noticed Hikari's beautiful, ruby-like eyes…" _thought Takeru. _"She also looks cute like that… Wait a minute. Takeru, get a hold of yourself! You like Yolei, not Kari-chan! Wait…, I mean Hikari! You love Hikari as a best friend and not a girlfriend!"_

After the butterfly had flown away, she looked back at Takeru. She was surprised to see him whacking his head.

"Anything wrong?" asked Hikari with a look of concern. Takeru quickly put down his hand and blushed slightly.

"Nothing!" he said quickly. He felt a little embarrassed but the sudden giggle of Hikari made his heart leap.

_"Okay… This is __**really**__ getting complicated…"_

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"I can't believe we failed!" said Hikari in a defeated tone. Takeru sighed as well.

"Well, we still have tomorrow. We'll just have to think of something else. But I still can't believe that our plan failed! The cafeteria thing was a little amateur, I admit and the giggling and talking in class was a little…pathetic but I can't believe that they weren't bothered by the fact that I was about to kiss you!" said Takeru. Hikari nodded.

"Yeah, we were practically in front of them. We were even doing Romeo and Juliet! We were lucky that Ms. Sumiregawa told us not to do the kiss", said Hikari. Takeru nodded but deep down in his heart, he was slightly disappointed. An eighth of him wanted to kiss Hikari but the other seven weren't really that excited.

"So, do I take you to your place or do we think of Phase 2 at mine?" asked Takeru. Hikari thought for a while. It would be much easier if there was no Taichi around.

"Your place. It'll be easier with just the two of us", said Hikari cheerfully. One-eight of Takeru was jumping for joy while the other seven were in complete confusion.

"Sure, let's go", replied Takeru. The eighth portion seemed much more powerful as Hikari's words repeated in his mind, the last part anyway. _"…just the two of us"_

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"Want anything to drink?" asked Takeru as they entered the apartment.

"Just water, if you don't mind", said Hikari. Takeru smiled.

"Sure, anything for you", said Takeru teasingly. Hikari just smiled and sat at the couch. Takeru came back with a glass of water for Hikari and a can of coke for himself.

"So, what do you think should we do next?" asked Hikari as she took a sip from the glass.

"How about we tie them up…" started Takeru as he smiled mischievously and recalled the one he suggested yesterday. Hikari frowned.

"I rejected it yesterday so what makes you think I won't reject it today?" asked Hikari.

"Hey, I was just trying to lighten the mood. But it would help if we did tie them up…" said Takeru. Hikari playfully punched him.

"Nobody's tying anyone up", said Hikari. Takeru nodded, thinking it was pointless to argue. They thought for what seemed like hours before Hikari had an idea.

"How about creating romantic moments?" suggested Hikari. Takeru raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean romantic moments?" he asked, confused by the suggestion.

"Well, it's something like me falling down and you catching me then we look at each other straight in the eyes", said Hikari, drinking the last remnants of water in her glass.

"Oh, okay. So it's something like an accident that will force us into an awkward situation?", asked Takeru. Hikari nodded.

"But wait, aren't they almost always followed by a kiss by the couple?" asked Takeru, slightly nervous at the answer.

"Well… umm… yeah…" said Hikari softly. A tinge of pink could be seen on her cheeks. There was a long pause. It was one of those awkward moments that caused tension. Hikari was the one hounded with almost all the tension as she waited for Takeru to answer. After a while, she opened her mouth to speak but Takeru beat her to it.

"Well, I guess if you're willing then I'm willing too!" said Takeru brightly. Hikari was surprised at Takeru's answer and enthusiasm.

"But how'll we do it?" asked Hikari. She was still in amazement at how Takeru answered.

"Don't worry, I know what to do", said Takeru as he smiled mischievously.

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End of chapter 2! Really hope this one was okay. I was a little off when I typed this one but I'll try to make it up in the next chapter! Please Read & Reveiw! 


	3. Phase 2 Creating a Moment

Hi everyone! Here's chapter 3!

Yokami: Yeah, I do see your point. I did it a little too much... But a few sudden emotional changes takes place in this fic (like in this particular chapter). I really do appreciate the comment! Thanks very much!

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon! (Wish I did though...)

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**Chapter 3: Phase 2 - Creating a Moment**

"Oh, Takeru, come in", said Taichi sleepily as he stood by the door. Takeru entered the apartment with a confused look. Taichi was usually up and ready to go by this time.

"What brings you this early? Hikari's still asleep", he asked after he yawned.

"She's still asleep? Isn't it already 6:30!?" asked Takeru, very surprised. Taichi shook his head.

"Your watch must be advance, its only 5:30", said Taichi as he yawned. He almost laughed at Takeru's sudden change of expression. It could barely be made out.

"Didn't you wonder why the sun wasn't out yet?" asked Taichi, a smile on his face. Takeru scratched his head.

"Guess not, I was too preoccupied with my thoughts to notice", he said, laughing slightly. Taichi smiled weakly, seeing he was still sleepy.

"Have you eaten anything yet?" asked Taichi as he entered the kitchen and told Takeru to sit down.

"Don't worry, I already ate. I'll just wait for Hikari to wake up", said Takeru.

"Okay but you'll have to wait awhile", said Taichi.

"Don't worry, I don't mind", replied Takeru cheerfully. He once again delved into his thoughts, trying to solve his dilemma.

_"I have my doubts on this one… It's not that I doubt Hikari but only Ken seems to be affected. Well, I'm still not sure about that one either and something about Yolei just… Argh! I hate this! Why is love so complicated!?"_

"You seem deep in thought', said Taichi as he took his seat on the couch near Takeru. He immediately snapped out of his thoughts. "Mind if I ask what're you thinking?"

"It's nothing. Just a little preoccupied with school…" replied Takeru. Taichi nodded, though he was sure that he wasn't telling him the truth.

"Well, if you're sure. But remember, I'm here if you need advice or help. I may not be Yamato but I still do a better job at being a brother than he does", said Taichi proudly, trying to ease the tension. Takeru smiled.

"Thanks". Taichi ruffled Takeru's hair a bit and stood up. He knocked on Hikari's door. He heard a grumbling sound and then, after a few seconds, the door opened.

"Isn't it a bit too early for this? I mean classes don't start 'till seven…" she said groggily.

"Takeru's here", said Taichi simply as he went back to the kitchen. Hikari's eyes opened wider, but only slightly. She left her room and went to the living room quietly. Takeru was indeed there and he seemed deep in thought. She snuck up on him, giving him an early morning surprise.

"What'cha doin'?" she asked innocently, loud enough to surprise him. Takeru stood in surprise and turned to Hikari who was laughing slightly.

"It's too early in the morning to give me a heart attack!" exclaimed Takeru. Hikari giggled and sat down on the couch.

"Sorry about that. So, why are you here so early in the morning?" asked Hikari. Takeru sighed and sat back down beside her.

"My watch was advance so I came here thinking it was 6:30", said Takeru. Hikari giggled. They saw Taichi make his way to the bathroom, smiling as he heard Takeru.

"Didn't you wonder why the sun wasn't out yet?" she asked, a smile on her face. This time, Takeru was the one laughing. Hikari faced him with a questioning look.

"What did I say?" she asked, dumfounded.

"That's exactly what Taichi asked me with that exact expression", said Takeru which made Hikari smile. She pushed him playfully.

"Anyway, what's so important that you didn't notice anything 'till you got here?" she asked.

"If you must know-", started Takeru.

"Yes, I must know", interrupted Hikari and then looked at him with a smile. Takeru smiled as well. He took a few moments before speaking once again.

"I was thinking about the plan and I thought that I'd edit it a bit. I'm just hoping that it'll work out", said Takeru. Hikari knew he wasn't telling her everything. There was always a hint of almost unnoticeable depression in his eyes that only Hikari could see. Well, that and the obvious fact that he blinks at a much more rapid rate than normal.

"Takeru", started Hikari. "That's not what you were thinking. Well, it might've been but that's not what's preoccupying your mind right now", she said, giving Takeru a stern look. Takeru sighed.

"You really are my best friend. You read me like an open book", he said as he smiled weakly.

"Of course!" replied Hikari proudly.

_"That and you leave extremely helpful hints" _she thought gleefully.

"So… are you going to tell me what's really bothering you or will I have to use force?"

"You? Use force? Exactly how do you plan to do that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. She smiled mischievously.

"Taichi would tear you to pieces if he knew you were doing something you weren't suppose to be doing to me", she said slyly.

"You wouldn't dare…!"

"Are you willing to take that risk?" she asked, smiling triumphantly. Takeru didn't need to think about it twice. He immediately knew that nothing in this world could make him take that risk. Well, in _**this **_world anyway.

"Fine… It's about Yolei", he said.

"What about her?"

"I was thinking and I'm having second thoughts about her. She's nice and all but something seems lacking. I do still like her but it's somehow less. From in love to just a crush", said Takeru.

"We should stop then. There's no point continuing", she said firmly. Takeru shook his head.

"You shouldn't give up for my sake. I want my friends to be happy"

"I want the same thing", said Hikari stubbornly. Takeru ruffled her hair and smiled. She frowned slightly and tried to straighten her already messy hair.

"Then we'll continue with the plan", said Takeru. Hikari was about to speak but Takeru interrupted her. "And that's final. Well, unless you don't want me to be happy…" he added, pouting slightly.

"If you're sure…" she said sadly. Takeru lifted her chin so that they met eye to eye.

"Yes, I'm sure", he said as he smiled. Hikari couldn't help but smile since his smiles were somewhat contagious. "And I did say that I still had a crush on her"

"Well, okay", she said as she hugged Takeru. Takeru returned the hug.

_"Well, at least I know everything's back to normal with me. Must've been the food yesterday… Mental Note: Never eat anything in the cafeteria unless it's an emergency" _thought Takeru.

"You'd better change and eat; we're going to be late if you don't hurry up", he added, pointing to the clock which said 6:15 am.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Okay, so how do we do phase 2?" Hikari asked as Daisuke listened to their conversation.

"Well, we'll need Daisuke's help for this…" said Takeru, looking at Daisuke. He was surprised.

"What!?" he exclaimed.

"Aw… C'mon, it's only for a few seconds. All you have to do is bump into Hikari _**accidentally **_so that she loses balance and I catch her", said Takeru. Daisuke sighed. He was about to say no but Hikari flashed her ever famous puppy dog eyes on Daisuke. You'd have to be crazy to turn down one of those. Well, that and you'd have to be a girl.

"Okay, I'm in. But tell me, what happens if you don't catch her?" he asked. Takeru smirked.

"You expect me not to catch her? I'm good with my hands, especially in catching; whether it be people or basketballs", said Takeru proudly.

"Easy there tiger. You'd fly to the moon if your ego keeps inflating like that", said Daisuke jokingly.

"Very funny", said Takeru sarcastically. "Anyway, we just have to make sure the two are watching"

"Sure, that's easy. Our lockers are near each other", said Daisuke.

"Okay, so we'll do this after school, before they go home. We'll practice in between, just to make sure everything goes according to plan", said Takeru.

"So, in other words, we only have one shot and we shouldn't mess it up?" asked Hikari. Takeru nodded then looked at Daisuke who, in turn, felt insulted.

"How dare you, Takeru Takaishi, insult me like that!?" said Daisuke with a fake pained and angered emotion. The two just laughed at Daisuke who joined them after a few moments.

Their teacher came in, signaling the start of class. Everyone returned to their seats as their homeroom teacher, Mr. Tsukishiro, checked attendance. Takeru, realizing he forgot to tell them where to meet, quickly got two pieces of paper and wrote down something fast. He then threw one to Daisuke and the other to Hikari. Both unfolded the piece of paper and read what it said.

_Forgot to tell you, we'll meet at the library_

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Tell me again why we're practicing in the library?" asked Daisuke. Takeru scratched his head.

"I wrote down the first thing I could think of…" he said as he laughed nervously. Daisuke sighed.

"Then we'll just have to make due. Let's go to the second floor of the library. Not a lot of people go there", said Hikari. They nodded in agreement as they entered the library, ascended the flight of stairs and found a nice spot to practice.

"So, Daisuke, you'll be the coming out from there", said Takeru, pointing to the end of a column of bookshelves. Daisuke nodded.

"We'll be standing here and waiting for you. When you see Hikari move in front of me, that's where you start running and knock her over. Oh, and make sure you don't stop. Just run far from the scene afterwards so it'll look like you were rushing too much to notice anything and so to avoid questions".

Daisuke nodded and started to make his way to his position. He looked over the two and saw Hikari move into position. He started his run to bump Hikari. Unfortunately, he missed by a couple of centimeters and only sent a gush of wind to the two.

"Let's try again. It's only the first try so nobody expects it to be perfect", said Takeru reassuringly.

_/ Several attempts later… /_

"Okay, so we'll just hope for the best", said Takeru, sighing. His hopefulness that they could perfect it earlier on was down and out for the count. Hoping for the best was all that they could do.

"Aw… C'mon, it wasn't that bad!" exclaimed Daisuke as they left the library.

"You almost took down ten bookshelves", said Takeru bluntly. Daisuke couldn't help but laugh nervously.

"Well… almost", he said silently.

"And you were actually going to bring Hikari down with you!" said Takeru, looking at him.

"Hey, it was an action on impulse! You'd grab the nearest thing or person you could if you were about to fall", explained Daisuke.

"Yeah, I'd try to grab Hikari if I was falling off a cliff", said Takeru sarcastically.

"Well, wouldn't you? I mean you'd grab her if she was the only one near that you could take hold off", said Daisuke, trying to prove his point. It was Hikari this time who answered him since she was getting a little irritated with the constant argument just because of her.

"He wouldn't need to. I would be the one grabbing him the moment I see him nearing the fall", said Hikari. Daisuke could not reply. Takeru smiled at Hikari.

"I'd push you away, if I could. Wouldn't want to endanger you, now would I?" said Takeru jokingly. Hikari smiled and pushed him playfully.

"Yeah, right. Like you can resist me", she said. She immediately blushed as she realized what she had said and there was an unsettling silence. Daisuke, being the not so thick headed person he was now, decided to change the subject.

"Let's hurry; we're going to be late!" he said, running first. The two followed. Hikari thanked Daisuke from under her breath for the interjection.

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Okay, get into position Daisuke!" whispered Takeru. He ran to his starting point, near the stairwell.

"Here they come!" mouthed Daisuke. Takeru acted casually as Yolei, Hikari, Iori and Ken made their way to the lockers. They all went to their respective lockers. Hikari momentarily opened her locker, pretended to take something then went to Takeru. Daisuke saw this and counted to three before he made his run. Unfortunately for him, Iori was sort of blocking the way but he had no time to think about it. What would a battle be without casualties? And yes, love is a war… Or maybe something like that… He started to count to three before running off.

"1…", started Daisuke. Hikari was walking into position.

"2…". Hikari was in position. All they had to do was wait for him.

"3!"

Daisuke ran at top speed.. He made his way to the group, bumping into Hikari but almost making Iori fly through the roof as he knocked him over. Fortunately, Takeru was able to catch both Hikari and Iori before they hit the ground. This was all well and good but, sadly, they had failed.

"Iori, are you alright?" asked Takeru as he helped him stand on the firm ground.

"Yeah, I'm alright. What about you Hikari?" asked Iori, looking to the brunette on his right.

"Don't worry, it was only a bump. Nothing to worry about", she said.

_"Guess we failed again…" _thought Takeru and Hikari sadly. After they were standing firmly on the ground, an unforeseen event occurred. Takeru's classmate and vice-captain in the basketball team, Souichi Hattori, came out from nowhere. He was running at top speed, escaping some unknown threat. He accidentally hit Hikari, making her lose balance. Takeru, as an action on impulse, caught Hikari and their eyes met.

_"I guess this is it…" _thought Hikari nervously. _"I just hope the two are watching"_

She would've checked but that would ruin the moment. Takeru was still there, motionlessly staring at her. She felt quite uneasy with their closeness and all but decided to close her eyes slowly so Takeru would do it according to plan.

_"Here's hoping that they're watching…" _he thought as he leaned in. Time seemed to have slowed down, making everything just a fuzzy blur standing still.

"Hope this works…" he whispered to Hikari who didn't reply but understood. Closer and closer went Takeru until he found that he was mere centimeters away from her. He was going to do it. He was going to kiss her, right here, right now. He made his way slowly, if not slower than before, to Hikari's rosy red lips. He was almost there. _**Almost**_.

-

-

-

"Ouch!" he suddenly yelled, almost dropping Hikari. She opened her eyes, surprised at what she heard. Takeru assisted Hikari in standing up as he rubbed the part of his head that was hit and hurting. He found a notebook on the floor. On closer inspection, he saw that it belonged to Ken. He turned to Ken who was looking intently at his shoes, whistling innocently. The others also became curious why he threw the notebook.

"What?" he asked as a blush started forming on his face. It was only a tiny tinge of pink and was almost invisible.

"It slipped?" he said, trying to make it sound like an excuse but failing. Yolei was looking at him, slightly surprised, slightly disappointed but over all jubilant.

Takeru returned his gaze at Hikari who was smiling triumphantly. He was also smiling triumphantly.

"Mission accomplished" whispered Takeru happily as Hikari nodded.

* * *

Yay! Hikari has finally got through to Ken! But what about Takeru? How will he cope? Find out in the next chapter!

Oh, and while you're waiting, why not review? It's the perfect chance for me to know how I'm doing so far! You can also tell me certain points in the story that need improving! Thanks in advance!


	4. The Emotion Called Love

Wow, it's nearly been a year since I last updated! But, I'm back and that's all that counts, right? Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed this fic - also, for those who were waiting for this chapter. I just hope I don't disappoint you with this one

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon!

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Strange Emotion called Love**

"Let me be blunt. This is the stupidest idea you have ever conceived in your life," said Daisuke. After operation "Almost-Kiss", Daisuke, Takeru and Hikari decided to go to a nearby Ice Cream Parlor to celebrate the success. Well, two out of three isn't bad…

"What do you mean? It went off without a hitch!" boasted Takeru proudly. Hikari smiled in agreement, taking a spoonful of strawberry ice cream and taking a bite of it, savoring the scrumptious flavor.

"I'm not really sure. It's not like Ken to do something as bold, not to mention crazy…" replied Daisuke, draining the contents of his bowl in a gulp. This, of course, lead to the classic "Brain Freeze".

"Aah!" he yelled, clutching the sides of his head and doing his utmost to warm it. Takeru started chuckling as so did Hikari. This small bout of laughter turned into full-fledge laughs as soon as Daisuke decided to run around in circles. This event lasted for a few seconds before the cold temperature subsided inside Daisuke's head.

"It's lucky there are only a few people here," said Hikari, taking another bite of her ice cream.

"Yeah, would've created a commotion with those movements of yours," said Takeru, snickering slightly. He was savoring his chocolate ice cream, taking slow, envying bites.

"Very funny," said Daisuke sardonically. He took his seat beside Hikari again and decided to bring up the next phase of the plan.

"Okay, now that you guys are sure that Ken's infatuated with Hikari, how are you going to tackle the situation from here?"

"Well, we've gone this far through luck and guessing… so I guess we should take this part seriously…" said Takeru. Daisuke literally fell off his seat as he heard those words.

"What do you mean luck and guessing?!" he said, eyebrows twitching in fury. The two looked at him as if he was some strange being.

"Didn't we tell you how we got these ideas?" asked Hikari curiously. Daisuke shook his head slowly.

"Oh," they said in unison, as if some big realization hit them. Daisuke sighed and sat upright.

"Seriously… I thought you guys actually thought of this seriously!" said Daisuke in exasperation.

"Well, it was all because of some sort of event that we happened to pass by…" said Takeru. Hikari nodded in agreement.

"Well, anyway, going back, what are you guys planning to do?" asked Daisuke.

"Well, how about asking Ken out, Hikari?" suggested Takeru. Hikari immediately blushed at the suggestion.

"Err… yeah… we'll think about that…" she mumbled to herself, head bowed and fingers forming a sort of knot.

"Huh?" asked the two who weren't able to hear what she said. She shook her head, brushing off the question.

"Anyway, what about you Takeru? How are you going to ask Yolei out?" she asked, a sly smiled playing on her lips.

"Didn't I explain the situation perfectly? I'm not that into Yolei anymore…"

"The key words there are 'not that into," replied Hikari.

"Oh come on… Can we discuss something else?" he asked, slightly blushing. Obviously, as it was a rare chance to see the flawless Takeru blush, the two continued the conversation despite numerous protests.

"No, we can't," said Hikari simply.

"Yeah, Hikari's already sure about Ken, but what about you and Yolei?" asked Daisuke. Takeru was about to retort when they heard a familiar voice greeting them.

"Hey guys! What are you doing here?" asked Yolei cheerfully. Hikari and Daisuke suddenly exchanged sly smiles. This came unnoticed by Yolei but was completely obvious to Takeru. He cursed his luck for the day.

"We were about to get some ice cream," said Hikari. "What would you like, Yolei? I'll treat you!"

"Thanks! I just saw you by the window so I decided to say hi but if I get free ice cream just because of that then there's no way I'd refuse! Anyway, a simple cookies n' cream will do!" said Yolei and took her seat beside Takeru. Takeru, who was trying his best not to act smitten, was blushing furiously like a bright red tomato. These types of blushes, sadly, never go unnoticed.

"Are you alright?" asked Yolei, peering closely at Takeru. Placing her hand on his forehead, he checked to see if he had a fever.

"Don't worry, I think it's just the symptoms of love," said Daisuke mischievously. Takeru immediately shot him a death glare but lasted only a second as Yolei entered her giddy high school girl mode.

"No way! Who's the lucky girl?!" she asked Daisuke. The person in question merely shrugged.

"Told us that his lips were sealed. Only a decent forcing would make him tell us…" replied Daisuke. Hikari decide that this was the opportune time to "buy the ice cream".

"Anyway, we'd better get the ice cream, cookies n' cream was it?" said Hikari. Yolei nodded and the two disappeared. Takeru was sending death glares in every direction, hoping and wishing that it'd hit the two and reconsider their actions. Of course, this wasn't possible.

"Who's the lucky girl?" asked Yolei, smiling at him. Takeru fidgeted in his seat for a while before deciding to answer the question.

"Err… no one special…" he said lamely. He mentally smacked himself thrice for the atrocity of his reply.

"No one special? She must be really special for you to have liked her…" she said, smiling genuinely. Takeru felt like melting on the spot.

"Err… well, if you put it that way…" he said shyly. He was, in his opinion, acting like a little girl. He prayed to any god available to grant him a miracle. Anything would do just to get him away from this situation.

"So, who is she then?" she asked immediately. She leaned closer, which resulted in Takeru falling off his seat.

"Are you alright?!" asked Yolei as she helped him stand up.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" he said, rubbing the back of his head. Yolei aided him in sitting back on his chair.

"Sorry about that, I guess I got a little too carried away…" apologized Yolei.

"Don't worry, it's not your fault. I was just startled when you leaned over…" said Takeru. There was a sudden, abrupt silence.

"So, I know I'm being a little too nosy… but I'm just curious to who that girl is…" said Yolei, probing the topic further.

"Why do you want to know?" asked Takeru curiously. This time, it was Yolei who blushed.

"Well… you see… I…" she stuttered. "I just want to know… what she… what she has that I haven't…" she added in an inaudible tone. Even Takeru, who was beside her, had trouble hearing what she had said.

"What was that?" he asked, curious to find out what she said. Yolei was blushing furiously now, her fingers entangling themselves in and out.

"Well… umm…"

"We're back!" announced Daisuke. Hikari came with Yolei's ice cream and a shake for herself.

"Oh! Thanks!" she immediately said, straightening herself. Takeru was disappointed at the sudden appearance of the two, which was ironic, but didn't show it.

* * *

"I wonder what she said…" thought Takeru as he lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. A sudden knock released him from his reverie.

"Hey Takeru, dinner time," called out Yamato from the other side. Yamato was staying at Takeru's apartment until their mom came back from France.

"Coming!" he yelled back but didn't make a move to get up. Still contemplating about the event earlier, he sighed heavily.

"I really wonder what she said…" he said out loud. Yamato, who Takeru thought had gone to eat, suddenly shouted.

"I haven't left yet!" he said, surprising Takeru and making him fall off the bed in surprise.

"Err… yeah…" he mumbled and forced himself up. He opened the door and pushed Yamato aside. He made his way to the table, completely ignoring Yamato in the process.

"What happened?" asked his brother in a rather amused tone. Takeru was not one to answer in a bad mood, so he didn't.

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad…" said Yamato. Takeru knew it wasn't that bad. He was just trying to ignore his older brother in order to escape the interrogation that would follow if he answered.

"Nothing really, nothing much," said Takeru his voice nearly inaudible. Yamato was staring at his brother in such a fashion that would make Takeru seem like an invader from outer space.

"Granting that is true, then how come you're in such a bad mood?" asked his brother, this time in concern. Takeru was weighing his options carefully, as it seemed Yamato was really concerned.

"Don't worry about it. I tell you if it makes any progress," he replied, smiling brightly and creating a façade of joy. Yamato decided to let the matter slip away from him this time.

"Come on, let's eat!" said Takeru, grabbing the fork and slurping the noodles at once. Yamato carefully looked at his brother, eyeing him concernedly.

"Eating, Yamato?" he asked innocently. Yamato snapped out of his dazed state and joined his younger brother.

* * *

"Hey Taichi, have you heard anything from Hikari about Takeru?" asked Yamato. Takeru was already fast asleep so Yamato decided to phone Taichi to see if he knew anything about this.

_"Why, is he acting strange or something? Last time I heard, he and Hikari were going out," _replied Taichi from the other line. Both siblings were asleep so neither older brother was restricted to what they could talk about.

"They're what?!" exclaimed Yamato. The pounding of the rain and Yamato's loud voice almost awakened the young blond. He stirred slightly from his deep slumber but quickly returned to that state as soon as Yamato clamped his hands over his mouth.

"What do you mean they're going out?!" whispered Yamato loudly. Taichi could hardly believe that Yamato did not know that. Well, actually he could, he just couldn't believe he was that surprised.

_"You didn't know? He comes to the apartment morning after morning to pick up Hikari,"_

"But I thought he liked Yolei? Well, Mimi before that but anyway…" replied Yamato. Taichi chuckled on the other line.

"Didn't know Keru-chan liked Mimi," he said teasingly. Yamato was suddenly jolted by the use of the nickname.

"Keru-chan? Who are you, Hikari?" asked Yamato, snickering in the process. He distinctively heard a hmph-ing sound from the other line.

_"Well, that's all I know. Hikari's been smiling like crazy today. I just don't know why though…" _pondered Taichi. Yamato was staring to find something incredibly unusual and strange about their situation.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow, Taichi?" asked Yamato.

_"Nothing in particular…"_

"Perfect"

* * *

"Let's go?" asked Takeru, offering his hand. Hikari found it strange to have blushed this time because they often did this.

"You alright?" asked Takeru, seeing Hikari was staring at the offered hand and was slightly red. "It is pretty hot…"

"Err… yeah… I'm a little flushed," she said but the words sounded strange to her.

"So, shall we?" he asked, smiling this time. Hikari, this time aware of the situation, grabbed his hand and they departed.

"They're gone," said Taichi simply. From under Taichi's bed came the lead singer of the Teenage Wolves, all covered in dust and something that looked like a candy wrapper.

"Don't you clean under there?" asked Yamato, forcing the candy wrapper to part with his golden hair. Sadly, it just wouldn't budge.

"Well, let's take care of that before anything else, okay?" said Taichi leading him to the bathroom. At the back of his mind, a pair of scissors was dancing in the background beside Yamato's brilliant hair.

"Now that's an idea..." he said, smiling mischievously. Yamato, seeing this, became curious and slightly scarred.

"What's an idea?"

"Nothing, pretend I never said anything…"

* * *

"So, did Yolei say anything good last time?" probed Hikari, poking Takeru's ribs in the process. Takeru, seeing Hikari was a little too jittery, took hold of her hands and prevented her from continuing her little poking game.

"I believe it's too early in the morning for that," he said as they continued to walk towards school. Traveling by foot was a real hassle.

"Let's pass by the park. It'll be a lot faster," said Takeru. He let go of her hands and they made their way through the park. The cool, gentle breeze was comforting to the two.

From a distance, they could see students running to the school building. They were puzzled by this as they still had thirty minutes before the bell rang. Nevertheless, they ran, fearing that they may have late watches.

However, there was a mud puddle, created by the rain that had fallen the night before. As they were running, they paid no heed to this possible obstruction. This was, however, a big mistake. Hikari had passed that puddle and had slipped, due to wrong footing and haste. She almost fell into the puddle had Takeru not grabbed her immediately and pulled her to the other side.

"Are you-" he started but was cut off as he too lost his footing. The terrain was filled with a few pebbles scattered around. Takeru happened to step on one of these and fell, dragging Hikari with him. Of course, they knew what would happen.

A moment of silence overtook them as Hikari was face to face with Takeru as he lay on the damp, grassy terrain. This, of course, created an awkward situation for them. A situation they had wanted to recreate previously but was not expecting to actually happen.

"Err… yeah…" said Takeru softly and uncertainly. Hikari was blushing, likewise with him.

"Ummm…" she began, eyes locked. "We're… We're going to be late"

Hikari immediately stood up, helping Takeru but letting go of his hand immediately. Taking another risk they ran towards the school in great speed, not noticing the dancing eyes in the bushes. Well, they couldn't be seen anyway.

* * *

"Woah, what's got you all fired up?" asked Daisuke as soon as the two had stopped their frantic running. They had entered the classroom in such an abrupt manner that all activities inside the classroom were momentarily suspended in shock. They did resume quickly afterwards, however.

They were drenched in sweat, and Takeru's back was covered with mud stains. Their faces were red, partly due to their running and partly due to what had transpired awhile back.

"We – thought – we – were – late," they said in complete unison. What made it weirder was the fact that they panted at the same time. This, of course, wasn't left unnoticed.

"O…kay, what really happened?" asked Daisuke as he observed their still flushed faces.

"Nothing!" they both exclaimed defensively, making Daisuke smirk.

"Am I missing something here?" he asked slyly, hinting a hidden meaning to his question. The two blushed even more after realizing what he meant and, once again, retorted in unison.

"No!" they both immediately shouted. Daisuke could bear no more of it and started laughing.

"What's so funny?" asked Yolei as she passed by them. She, being older than them, wasn't in the same section, let alone year level, but that wasn't a hindrance for her to visit her friends.

"Nothing, really. Just that these two have been answering me in unison so much it became hilarious," said Daisuke matter-of-factly.

"Well, whatever makes you happy," retorted Yolei nonchalantly. "Anyway, how did it go?" she asked Daisuke. The latter merely shrugged.

"No change, still the same," he said calmly and uncaringly.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" asked Takeru. Yolei shook her head.

"Nothing, nothing. Anyway, I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me, Iori and Ken to go shopping later. It's already a Friday anyway and I know you've got nothing better to do…"

"Sure, why not," agreed Daisuke after sighing. None struck this as strange.

"Fine, we'll go," conceded Takeru, with Hikari following suite.

"Okay, so let's meet by the gate when classes are over," stated Yolei and the three agreed.

Yolei left afterwards, leaving the three to themselves. From the shadows, or at least from amidst the leaves of the trees, sat two young men. Had they been a floor lower they'd have been considered perverts due to the fact it was a changing room for girls. It was actually fortunate that the window was open for them to have heard the conversation just now which took place there.

"Well, now that we know where they're going, it'll be easier," whispered Taichi to his accomplice.

"Yeah, but going to the mall? We might not be able to find adequate hiding spots…" said Yamato. Taichi merely shook his head.

"It's a Friday… which means there'll be a lot of people. We don't have to worry!" he exclaimed. However, his exclamation was short lived. The tree branch, which wasn't as sturdy as it looked in the first place, immediately broke. They both fell and, for better or worse, hit the tree branch which was below them. Regretfully, it was exactly a single floor's distance from the two indicating…

"AH!!!!" exclaimed one of the women inside the changing room. It was fortunate that none of them had started changing yet. They saw the two male teens and were abhorred by their presence.

"Perverts!" one exclaimed, sending a bucket, which was probably left by a janitor, and hit Taichi on the head.

Many more items followed, from the simplest mop, which was also probably left by the janitor, to the more surprising wooden chairs.

And so starts the espionage of the concerned, dim-witted brothers….

* * *

So, I thought about adding something like that as a finisher for this chapter (since I see this type of situation in most of the anime I watch that are school related) This'll probably be the last time I use the "accidentally branded a pervert" theme - so it doesn't really matter. 

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'll try to update this soon so I hope you bear with me!


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